With mild temperatures running into the second week of November, and snow finally blanketing the ground today, I think its time to winterize the jet boat and close the 2024 boating season. Once again, it was an amazing year with so many great friends, and of course, epic fish. I am always sad when I must put the boat away for the winter, as I have so much fun on the river in that G3 jet boat. I know it will be several long, cold months until I get to play once again. I do get to shore fish in the winter months, but its just not the same. Any of you with boats know exactly what I mean. I will be off to Auto Marine Specialties to see Brian tomorrow to put her away for another winter hibernation.
Before the snow fell to the ground today, I was fortunate to get out spin fishing the Bow River two times last week. My dentist John, and his son Nick came out, and then Jason and the young boys got busy on the rivers finest fish. Both were amazing trips with many fantastic fish to the net. A perfect way to end another fishing season. We caught and released many big browns, as well as some plump rainbows that were looking to fatten up for the winter.
Some key locations and tactics are as follows:
- The fish are heading to their overwinter holes at this time of year. They need to stay in water that is over five feet deep. The river freezes completely over in this section of river, so we concentrated on these deep holes and runs in the river with great success.
- Speed of your retrieve plays a big part in success. As the water gets colder, the fish slow down and become lethargic. Knowing this, we slowed down our speed and let the fish catch the Robertson Tackle lures. We cast, let the lure sink down, and then make short lifts with the rod.
- Once we found fish, we don’t leave. I have a saying, “we don’t leave fish to find fish”. Often, there can be many in one location, especially if it’s the water type you are looking for. We went on seven drifts in one run and picked up fish every drift.
- Keep your options open. Sometimes fish are in transition and moving around. Do not scoff at water you think will not hold fish. Sometimes the biggest fish will be in shallow water for example, even when you think “no way Jose”. Another example would be deep choppy water when its cold. It would be a prime location in the summer, but not when its cold. That’s sometimes the case but not always. Make casts into water that others scoff at!
- Colors on cloudy days can be a factor. If there is minimal light penetration, use colors that are flashy. Examples would be, those lime greens, hot pinks and hot oranges. In the lower stretch of the Bow River where we were fishing, there are lots of shady runs as the banks were high, not letting the sun touch the water. The lures, such as the Robertson Tackle Bad Brown were getting smashed, as they are bright and rattle!
I hope these tips help you on your next fishing adventure. Look for the deep holes and don’t be afraid to fish water that other anglers walk past. If you are in the market for new, amazing lures that consistently catch fish, please visit my lure website at Robertson Tackle. We have created some lures that smash fish.
Thank you for reading,
~Mike
